Nani – A Case Study In Encouraging Directors

Nani debuted with the film Ashta Chemma and went on to be seen in many films. Film after film, he got better and earned the tag Natural Star. Today, he stands in a comfortable position where he can demand anything he wants. However, even after achieving star status and a comfortable stature, he still struggles to rediscover himself as an actor and give young filmmakers the much-needed push.

Nani entered the film industry without any background. He knows the struggles of young and aspiring filmmakers. He himself faced many struggles to prove his talent and earn survival in the film industry. He faced duds, tasted rejections, and went through rough phases in his career. But he rose above all, took his ground, and firmly stood on what he believed in.

Saripodhaa Sanivaaram is his latest release, and the film has been receiving well. There are positive feedback everywhere, and the film once again proves how versatile Nani is and how diverse his taste is in picking different scripts and not getting into the cycle of routineness. He is an example for all young heroes in picking the right scripts and going out of their comfort zone to work with struggling directors instead of well-established filmmakers.

Nani changed his strategy after the setbacks with V and Tuck Jagadish during the COVID era. Before COVID, Jesey was the only hit for Nani, and Gangleader also could not meet the expectations. But with Shyam Singha Roy, he upped his game and had come a long way, inspiring other actors and filmmakers.

At Shyam Singha Roy’s pre-release event, he said, “People might see the bricks I am setting up, but when they see from a distance, they see a wall I am building here. The wall can not be broken with bulldozers as well until I have a place in your hearts.”

Nani worked with Rahul Sankirtyan for period drama Shyam Singha Roy. The film did well and also got recognition from young director Rahul, and it was his first big break. Later, Nani did the simple and heartwarming romantic comedy-drama Ante Sundaraniki, which was a much-talked film. He collaborated with the talented Vivek Athreya. Although the film disappointed a section of audiences, the film earned a cult following. Despite the negative reactions to the film, Nani was determined enough to give a second chance to Vivek to brand him as a successful commercial director.

Nani then did the action drama Dasara, introducing a new director, Srikanth Odela. The film’s rawness worked big time, earning both Nani and Srikanth praise. Later, Nani drastically switched to a feel-good drama, Hi Nanna. He took on the father’s role in the film once again after acing a similar role in Jersey. Shouryuv is the new director who marked his debut with the film. When enjoying the peaks of his career, Nani experimented with new directors back-to-back and tasted success.

And now came Saripodha Sanivaram. Nani firmly decided to encourage Vivek Athreya, and the duo did magic at the box office. With the addition of novelty, the solid commercial action drama gained big brownie points for both the actor and director.

Nani’s confidence in the struggling directors is inspiring, and if he continues to focus on delivering solid content, Nani will definitely be unstoppable.